1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of police and law enforcement equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to a scabbard that retains a baton, such as an expandable tactical police baton, on the torso of the officer in a convenient and secure manner, yet permits the baton to be immediately released and used when the need arises.
2. Description of Related Art
Expandable batons for police use have become popular with law enforcement agencies since the late 1980s with the advent of a baton now generally known as the ASP.RTM. baton. This baton is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,297, assigned to Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc, the assignee of the present invention. Before describing the scabbard that is the subject of the present invention, a brief discussion of expandable batons and the baton of the '297 patent is provided to help place the invention in the proper context.
The expandable baton of the '297 patent is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The baton 1 has a plurality of telescoping sections, including a main section 2 that serves as a handle, a larger middle telescoping section 10, and a smaller end telescoping section 11. The three sections are co-axial hollow tubes of heat-treatable steel. A smooth knob 12 is threaded onto the end of the smaller section 11 to allow the baton to be used with a reduced risk of inflicting injury. An end cap 4 is threaded onto the end of the main section. A foam cover 3 provides a comfortable grip for the baton. A leaf spring 6 retains the smaller section 11 when the baton is collapsed.
The larger telescoping section 10 is flared on one end to mate with a swaged end of the main section 2 when the baton is in its extended position. The other end of the telescoping section 10 is swaged to mate with a flare formed on the smaller telescoping section 11. The swage and flare features form deadlock taper joints 15 when the flared end of the smaller diameter section is jammed tightly into the corresponding swaged end of the larger diameter section, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. The baton is expanded from its collapsed condition to an extended position in a quick whipping action. The baton is collapsed by a strong axial blow to one end.
One of the reasons that expandable batons have become popular is that tubular weapons that are handle heavy (such as an expandable baton), as opposed to heavy on the striking surface (such as a traditional long baton), are easier to control. Additionally, expandable batons cause less tissue damage because they are lighter in weight. Lighter weight batons tend to give bouncing injuries, instead of crushing injuries, which are more permanent.
Expandable batons are also a desirable component of standard police equipment because they can be more easily carried by the officer and available for use, as compared to standard nightsticks or long batons. Studies have shown that police often leave their long batons in their car. In a typical scenario, police officers would get out of their car and one of two things would happen when they needed to control a subject. Either the police would strike the suspect with something that was not appropriate (such as a flashlight or radio), since their baton was in the car, or they would go to a higher level of force and use a firearm. In addition to causing unnecessary tissue damage, an inappropriate device may simply fly apart after being used as a baton. This, of course, leaves the officer without an immediate force weapon. Further, after using an "improvised baton," such as a radio or flashlight, which flies apart, the officer is left without these tools in dealing with the subject (e.g., he/she may now be unable to call by radio for help or find his/her way along a dark corridor). Of course, the use of an inappropriate item, such as a radio or flashlight, as a baton requires the police force to unnecessarily buy replacement radios and flashlights, thus increasing the overall cost of law enforcement.
Expandable batons are lighter in weight, handle heavy, and telescope to a convenient size of less than 20 inches in length. Thus, they meet the needs of law enforcement for an impact intermediate force weapon.
In order for an expandable baton to be of maximum utility to the officer or other baton user, it should be able to be carried by the officer at all times while on duty, and without interfering with the mobility of the police officer when it is not needed. The baton should allow full arm movement and allow the officer a reasonable degree of comfort when worn throughout the day, including those times that the officer is sitting or standing for extended periods of time.
Additionally, there are many instances in which the baton may need to be carried in a concealed manner (for example, under a coat), and yet still be quickly accessible and ready for use. The ability to conceal the baton is especially important, for example, when a police officer is assigned the task of attending staid functions for dignitaries, and the officer's weapons must be concealed under semi-formal or formal clothing. Longer batons are more difficult to conceal, given their substantial length. In addition, the baton must be able to be deployed by the officer quickly whenever needed (i.e., virtually immediately). Further, the baton must be held securely on the police officer's body during the officer's daily activities. Such activities may loosen the baton significantly, such as when the officer is pursuing a subject and may be required to run, jump, climb over walls or fences, or move quickly up or down stairs. When the officer reaches a subject, however, the baton must still be ready for use on the officer's body.
Further, the scabbard must not provide a "handle" that may be grasped by a subject, allowing the subject to more easily maneuver the officer into a physically dangerous position. Of course, it is generally important that a police officer's baton be held securely to his/her body regardless of the physical activities of the officer, and that the baton is not able to be grasped and taken by a suspect during a physical confrontation. However, it is even more important that the scabbard not enable the subject to pull or push the officer. While losing the scabbard while running or during a confrontation is serious, allowing a subject to pull an officer to the ground (where he lacks mobility and is more easily beaten) or into the path of a moving vehicle is a substantially greater hazard to the officer's life.
It is therefore apparent that the baton scabbard is an extremely important aspect of the overall performance and utility of the baton. Prior art scabbards often failed to meet such needs. For example, some scabbards have been attached to the belt of the officer such that the baton is worn at the side. In such cases, the baton is not effectively concealed. Further, they positioned the baton where it might be more easily grasped by a subject. Further, such scabbards were firmly attached to an officer's body, allowing the subject who grabbed the baton to more easily push or pull the officer. Further, many prior scabbards were clumsy to use and uncomfortable to wear. Indeed, as discussed above, the shear inconvenience of wearing a baton may induce some officers to leave their batons in their vehicles. As a result, the batons are not readily available when needed outside of the vehicles.
The present invention provides for a scabbard that achieves the above objectives. The scabbard retains the baton securely on the body of the wearer. The inventive scabbard adjusts to many different size batons. The scabbard also provides for quick release of the baton for substantially immediate use by an officer.
Additionally, the scabbard is worn about the torso, such that the baton is positioned against the chest of the user when not in use. This placement of the baton on the torso, coupled with fact that the scabbard is not bulky, makes the scabbard comfortable and permits the baton to be concealed under a coat. The scabbard also positions the baton on the body such that the baton has a negligible adverse affect on the mobility or movement of the officer, and in particular it does not interfere with arm motions and will not fall out when the officer is engaged in running or jumping types of activity. Further, some embodiments of the scabbard includes a "high-pressure" attachment release feature such that the scabbard will become detached from the officer's body should enough force be applied to it. This might occur, for example, should a subject grab the scabbard and attempt physically to maneuver the officer. The release feature substantially reduces the risk that the subject can push or pull the officer to the ground.
The scabbard is adjustable to accommodate different size officer, and adapts to either right-handed or left-handed officers. The scabbard is also adjustable to accommodate a full range of baton sizes. By virtue of the baton having a safety release, such that there is less risk that a suspect will successfully grab or forcibly remove the baton from the officer or grasp the scabbard as a "handle" to physically maneuver the officer.